By Azer Parrocha
MANILA, (PNA) — It was out of prudence that Senate President Franklin Drilon decided Tuesday to defer to the advice of the Office of the Ombudsman not to require Janet Napoles to appear before the Senate.
Drilon said in a statement Wednesday that although the public was eager to see Napoles grilled by the Blue Ribbon Committee, he said he has decided “on the side of caution.”
“I would rather err on the side of prudence,” he said, standing by the Ombudsman’s opinion through and through.
“What is at stake here is the ability of the Office of the Ombudsman to prosecute the pork barrel misuse cases against the Napoles (group) with dispatch and without delay,” he added.
He explained that the Ombudsman’s ability to prosecute was the principal goal of the country’s justice system.
“This is not a question of which institution is “supreme”: the Senate or the Office of the Ombudsman,” Drilon said.
“What we must uphold is supremacy of the rule of law,” he said.
“There is no question that serving the ends of justice and making our justice system work is our primary objective.”
Drilon has previously expressed that out of prudence and respect for the Ombudsman, which is a constitutional office, it was only right for the Senate to defer to its judgment because they have acquired jurisdiction.
“The Ombudsman is in the best position to determine whether or not the prosecution of this case will be prejudiced by the appearance of Ms. Napoles in the Senate,” Drilon said, in a previous briefing.